West Ashley Wanderer — Tangled Up In Blue
Exploring the mystical art of indigo dyeing at Drayton Hall by Joan Perry | Contributing Writer I love blue and I’m not alone. I wear blue, eat off blue plates, drive a blue car, and have lived in blue homes. The only thing better than blue is the deep, peacocky,...
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Guest Homes Were the Precursor To Short-Term Rentals
Tourism has been an important part of this area’s economy since boats started to set anchor in Charleston Harbor. This did not go unnoticed to the entrepreneurs in St. Andrew’s Parish; especially after the bridge connection was reestablished with the peninsula of...
The River Between Us
Remembering the time a ship crashed into the Ashley River Bridge in 1955 "It seemed to me it was going to be a pretty dull day as far as getting any news pictures was concerned. I didn’t have a single assignment for the day when I reported for work,” said Richard...
Revisiting the Underground Railroad
Perspectives in Freedom Conference held at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens Special to West Of Free Press Scholars, living historians, and enslaved descendants will gather in West Ashley at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens to show that the Underground Railroad was...
A Pleasurable Place For Picnics
Photo: The Santos sister gather at Pleasure Grove. From left to right: Dolly Santos Reynolds, Mamie Santos Harrison (Joe Harrison’s second wife) Inez Santos Grayson and Irene Santos Burk. (Photograph courtesy of Barbara Burk deWitt and Ruth Burk Gay) In 1916 Rene...
Pedalling Back in Time
Photograph of bicycle ignites memories of a West Ashley aren’t familiar with I think that is my bicycle in front of the Avondale Pharmacy in that picture in your paper.” That was the message left at the West Of Free Press office by Bobby Owens. The referenced...
Know Your History
West Ashley History Series kicks off this month at Hurd/St. Andrew’s Regional Library Last year local historian and author Donna Jacobs was invited to do a lecture at the Cynthia Hurd/St. Andrew’s Regional Library in West Ashley. She was then approached about the...
Picture Perfect
Time for the Obligatory Back-To-School Photo I’m standing in the Starbucks line in South Windermere scrolling through Facebook looking at all of the “obligatory first day of school pictures.” I find myself vacillating between “OMG I can’t believe that they have gotten...
The Roots of His Optimism
West Ashley teen Caleb Smith wins 2018 Optimist International Oratorical World title It truly has left me speechless. I cannot express enough how much of an accomplishment this was to my family and I,” says West Ashley resident Caleb Smith. Ironic that someone who...
If These Walls Could Talk
The Wall home in Magnolia was a hub of community activity If the walls of The Wall home on Anita Drive in the Magnolia neighborhood could talk there would be stories, and lots of them, for Lucy Ann Simpson (nee) Wall is known for her ability to craft a story with all...
An Elk’s Life
West Ashley Elks Lodge is raising money to “adopt” Clark the Elk at Charles Towne Landing A few of years ago folks in the upstate started spotting a large elk bull roaming the woods, golf courses, streets, and even their neighborhoods. Folks nicknamed him the...
